GOP member bolts; Straus wants names

Rep. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, has retracted his support for Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, claiming that threats from the speaker’s office about redistricting influenced him to make a switch.

Hughes says he received threats that opposing Straus would cost him his seat in redistricting next year.

Rep. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola

Straus called the allegations “outrageous.”

“And I have a call into Rep. Hughes to insist that he name the individual with whom he had this alleged conversation,” Straus said. “I did not and would never authorize, allow, or condone linking redistricting in any way with the Speaker’s race, and anyone who knows me knows better than to give that assertion any credence.

” When Rep. Hughes called me earlier today to discuss his pledge, he never offered this as an explanation. He did say that revoking his pledge to me was more difficult than revoking his pledge in previous Speaker’s races,” Straus said.

Whether others will follow Hughes remains to be seen. As of the weekend, Straus claimed more than 125 supporters – and it only takes 76 of the 150 members to become speaker.

Straus should survive the campaign by outside groups, who are clamoring for a more conservative speaker than they think Straus would be, unless a large exodus follows Hughes. There is no indication of that happening.

House GOP Caucus leader Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, is still supporting Straus. He earlier had thought about challenging the incumbent.

Taylor told my colleague, R.G. Ratcliffe that did not know whether there would be a caucus vote on Straus. But Taylor said he did not believe there is a real speaker’s race occurring.

“I don’t think it is,” Taylor said. “He’s got 130-some-odd pledges.”

Hughes said he has heard “from an increasing number of my constituents and supporters. Their unanimous voice has called for me to withdraw my support of Speaker Straus.”

The rest of Hughes’ statement:

“My decision, though not a light one, was made clearer after a phone call I received over the weekend from a member of Speaker Straus’s leadership team. This member brought up the subject of redistricting and explained to me how that process would be used to punish those members not on Speaker Straus’s list of supporters.

“More specifically, this member told me that maps were already being drawn to get rid of Representative-Elect Erwin Cain (R-Sulphur Springs) and Representative Dan Flynn (R-Van), because they were not on the Speaker’s list of supporters.

“I was then told that I had nothing to worry about in redistricting, so long as I stayed on the Speaker’s list.

“This conversation first saddened and then disgusted me.

“Using the redistricting process for retribution reminds us of all that is wrong with politics. The Speaker’s race should be decided not based on threats of punishment and not on promises of power, but on principle.

“The people of Texas have chosen us to speak for them. As we prepare to cast our first vote on their behalf, we should lay aside our ambition for powerful committees, stand against the threats, and support the Speaker candidate who best represents our conservative principles.”